Category Archives: Announcements

SHREK Is Here!

  By Tom Varner | July 14, 2015 - 12:03 pm | ,
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IT’S A BIG, BRIGHT, BEAUTIFUL WORLD WITH SHREK

Shrek Cover
Hard Road Theatre in association with the Highland Arts Council and sponsored by Bradford National Bank present SHREK THE MUSICAL. Based upon the 2001 Academy Award-winning movie and the 2009 Tony-nominated Broadway musical of the same name, SHREK is the story of an ogre named Shrek who just wants to live alone in peace in his swamp. Join our unlikely hero and his loyal steed and best friend, Donkey, as they embark on a quest to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona from a love-sick dragon. Add the diminutive Lord Farquaad (who just wants to be King), a gang of fairytale misfits, and a cookie with attitude, and you’ve got the biggest, brightest musical comedy around! It’s a must-see show for the entire family.

With over 40 cast members, SHREK marks the largest regular length musical Hard Road has ever presented and is one of the spotlight shows for our 15th season. Our production features Broadway-style costumes and professional-grade prosthetics. The show itself features an original score with the exception of the classic pop-rock song “I’m a Believer” written by Neil Diamond and first made famous by The Monkees.

Cast members in the show come from several different communities in the area including Highland, Greenville, Breese, Collinsville, Belleville, and Swansea. The show is directed by Evan Fifer with musical direction by David Wilton and choreography by Christine Taylor.

Performances for SHREK are July 24, 25, 31, and Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and July 26 and Aug. 2 at 2:00 p.m. All performances will be held at the Highland Elementary Auditorium located at 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Tickets are $12.50 each (children 3 years old and younger are free). Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Online ticket purchases stop 30 minutes before the scheduled show time. Children 4-12 will receive a special coupon at the door for a FREE small drink and popcorn. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.

Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions. Online tickets can be purchased via the Hard Road website or through the Hard Road Facebook page. For more information about SHREK or Hard Road in general, please send an email to tom@hardroad.org or call 618-409-6286.

Come Attend Prom With Us

  By Tom Varner | June 30, 2015 - 2:38 pm | , ,
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Zombie Prom Cover PROM IS FOR EVERYONE


Hard Road Theatre Productions in association with the Highland Arts Council and sponsored by Staunton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram invite you to attend a prom of the undead as they present the original musical ZOMBIE PROM. Set in the fabulous 1950s, ZOMBIE PROM is the tale of a sweet teenage girl named Toffee and her rebel-without-a-cause boyfriend, Jonny. The two meet at Enrico Fermi High School and fall in love, but Principal Delilah Strict intervenes and persuades Toffee to break up with Jonny for her own good. Tortured by his betrayed love, Johnny drives his motorcycle to a nearby nuclear power plant and flings himself inside a cooling tower. Toffee mourns the loss of her love, but Jonny returns in an altered state, professes his love, and promises to take Toffee to the prom if she’ll have him. As Toffee finds herself torn between being with her love and living a “normal” life, Principal Strict deals with the dilemma and chaos that Johnny’s return brings to the school and threatens to cancel the senior prom.

Directed by David Whitacre, ZOMBIE PROM includes a cast of about 25 students from several different communities including Highland, Greenville, and O’Fallon. Performances for ZOMBIE PROM are July 9th-11th at 7:00 p.m. and on July 12th at 2:00 p.m. All performances will be held at the Highland High School Kennel located at 12760 Troxler Ave., Highland, IL. Tickets are $9 if purchased online and $10 at the door. Online ticket purchases stop 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of the show. Seating is on a first come first serve basis and is limited to 200 people.

Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions. For more information about ZOMBIE PROM or Hard Road Theatre visit the Hard Road website at www.hardroad.org, send an email to cs@hoardroad.org, or call 618-409-6286.

2015 Trivia Night

  By Tom Varner | March 2, 2015 - 1:40 pm |
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Hard Road Theatre will be holding a trivia night on Saturday, March 7th at the John Wildi Masonic Temple located at 721 9th St., Highland, IL 62249. Doors open to the public at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7:00 p.m. The cost is $100 per team with a maximum of 8 people per team. Trivia questions are general knowledge questions. There will be free snacks. Soda and water will be available for purchase and alcohol is permitted at this venue. In addition to the trivia contest, there will be a 50/50 drawing, a silent auction, and a “Broadway Best” table decorating contest. Items available for bid in the silent auction include autographs from Hollywood celebrities, St. Louis Cardinals tickets, season tickets to Stages St. Louis, Six Flags passes, movie theatre gift certificates, gift baskets, and much more. The proceeds from this event will be used towards the recent purchase by Hard Road of $11,000 in new lighting instruments that will be installed at the Highland Elementary Auditorium. Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live productions. For more information about the trivia night, information about Hard Road’s upcoming season, or to reserve a table for the trivia night, please email tom@hardroad.org or call 618-409-6286.

2015 Trivia Night Flyer

SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT

  By Tom Varner | February 18, 2015 - 2:15 pm | ,
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South Pacific Cover

Hard Road Theatre in conjunction with the Highland Community Chorus and sponsored by TheBANK of Edwardsville will be presenting a special one-night only production of SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT on Thursday, March 19th at 7:00 p.m. Based upon the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by James A. Michener and and adapted from the Tony-award winning musical, SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT has a plot that centers around an American nurse stationed on a South Pacific island during WWII who falls in love with an older expatriate French plantation owner. The show features such popular tunes as “Bali Ha’I”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”, “Some Enchanted Evening”, “There Is Nothing Like a Dame”, “Happy Talk”, and “Honey Bun”. The cast includes Bill Sullivan as Emile de Becque, Breanna Noe as Nellie Forbush, Rob Bowman as Captain Bracket, Chris Weckler as, Gentry Nessel as Bloody Mary, Jonathon Morgan as Lieutenant Cable, and Tom Varner as Luther Billis. The evening will also featured catered hors d’oeuvres and a special tribute and recognition of veterans and the U.S. armed forces. SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT will be performed at the Highland K.C. Hall located at 12454 State Route 143, Highland, IL 62249. Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased at the Highland Chamber of Commerce office or online at www.hardroad.org. There is limited seating for this event and ONLINE TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BEFORE March 1st. For more information call 618-409-6286 or email evan@hardroad.org.

Two Major Upcoming Events

  By Tom Varner | February 3, 2015 - 1:43 pm |
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Hard Road has two major upcoming events that are just around the corner. The first is our annual trivia night on Saturday, March 7th. 2015 Trivia Night Flyer
Hard Road Theatre’s Annual Trivia Night will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the John Wildi Masonic Temple (Masonic Lodge) located at 721 9th St. in Highland, IL. The cost is $100 per table (maximum of 8 people per table). The theme for the event is “Broadway’s Best.” There are free snacks, a silent auction with some very cool items, a table decorating contest, and more. This is Hard Road’s major fundraising event for the year and all of the money raised this year will be used towards the cost (over $11,000 worth) of new lighting equipment that Hard Road purchased for the Highland Elementary Auditorium. You can reserve a table by calling (618) 409-6286 or emailing tom@hardroad.org. More information about this event will be forthcoming.

The second major event is the performance of South Pacific-In Concert on Thursday, March 19th. South Pacific CoverSponsored by TheBANK of Edwardsville, this performance event is a joint endeavor between Hard Road and the Highland Community Chorus. In addition to the performance of the show itself, the evening will feature catered hors d’oeuvres and a special recognition of our veterans and the branches of the armed services. The festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $40 each. There are a limited number of tickets and we are expecting to sell out soon, so it is highly recommended that you purchase your tickets online far in advance of the performance itself. If you have any questions about this event, please call (618) 409-6286 or email evan@hardroad.org.

We look forward to seeing you at these events!

Children’s Casting Notice for SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT

  By Tom Varner | January 17, 2015 - 10:02 am | ,
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Thank you to all the children and their parents who came out to the audition last night. We appreciate your support. Please keep in mind that there were only two roles for this production. We have several other opportunities for children in our upcoming 15th season. The casting for the two children’s roles for SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT is as follows:

Jermone: Spencer Powers
Ngana: Julia English

The read-through/1st rehearsal for the lead and supporting roles (including the children) of SOUTH PACIFIC – IN CONCERT will be held on Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 p.m. at Highland Machine. For more information, please contact the director, Evan Fifer at (217) 556-6399 or via email at evan@hardroad.org. Thank you again to everyone who auditioned!

Special Children’s Audition This Friday (1/16/15)!

  By Tom Varner | January 12, 2015 - 11:43 am | ,
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South Pacific AuditionSponsored by TheBANK of Edwardsville, Hard Road Theatre Productions and the Highland Community Chorus will present a special one-night only Event Presentation of South Pacific-In Concert on Thursday, March 19, 2015 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Highland KC Hall. This event will include catered hors d’oeuvres and special recognition of our military and veterans. Most of the roles for this show have already been cast. However, the director is looking for two children, one boy and one girl ages 8-12, to play the roles of Jerome and Ngana.

There will be a special children’s audition for these roles THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 16th from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Highland Elementary School, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL. Auditions will consist of an a cappella singing of the song “Dites Moi” and a possible interview with the director. Links to the sheet music for “Dites Moi” can be found below. Also, please listen to the YouTube video at the bottom of this post to hear the song. Please note, there will be NO accompaniment provided or allowed: children will be expected to sing the song a cappella.

If you have any questions about this special audition or have children who are interested in auditioning, but will be unable to attend the audition this Friday, please contact the director, Evan Fifer, at 217-556-6399 or via email at evan@hardroad.org.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nqmf595fo7eu9z7/Dites%20Moi.pdf?dl=0

Become a Hard Road Patron

  By Tom Varner | December 9, 2014 - 3:04 pm |
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Horizontal image of an old Theatre Marquee. Evening shot.While we are in the midst the holiday season and as we approach the end of the year, we would like to ask you to consider becoming a Hard Road Patron for 2015. Hard Road is dedicated to providing high-quality live theatre to the greater Highland, IL area and beyond. Hard Road has been producing theatrical events in and around the community since 2001 and next season (2015-2016) will be our 15th Season! In addition, we have attempted to improve the performance spaces at the local schools (for example, installing air conditioning at the Highland Elementary Auditorium) and have assisted those less fortunate in our community (for example, the 2013 Benefit Production of The Odd Couple for the HACSM Food Pantry). With that in mind, we ask you to consider becoming a Hard Road Patron for the 2015-16 Season.

Our patron program has recently been redeveloped with several different levels that include a variety of perks:

Friend  ($25-$74):
*Name listed on Hard Road website

Supporting Role ($75-$149):
*Name listed on Hard Road website
*2 Season Tickets

Leading Role ($150-$249):
*Name listed on the Hard Road website
*2 Season Tickets
*Name listed in Lobby Display

Superstar ($250-$499):
*Name listed on the Hard Road website
*4 Season Tickets
*Name listed in Lobby Display

Benefactor ($500  or More):
*Name listed on Hard Road website
*6 Season Tickets
*Name listed in Lobby Display
*Name recognition in the programs for the season

Oh, and did we mention that donations are tax-deductible?

So, what do you say? Will you join us and support us as a Patron for our 2015-16 Season? We have some very big surprises in store for the upcoming year and we are working on some major projects that will be announced soon. You can help us bring these things to fruition by becoming a Patron today.

All checks should be written out to: HAC-Hard Road Theatre. Donations should be mailed to: Hard Road Theatre Productions, P.O. Box 68, Highland, IL 62249.donate

 

DRINKING HABITS Cast List

  By Tom Varner | November 19, 2014 - 3:35 pm | ,
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A brief word from the director:

Thank you to everyone who auditioned! All of you did a wonderful job. Thank you for giving your time and sharing your talent with us by auditioning. Auditions are often intimidating, but I hope this audition experience was a positive one. Whether you were cast or not, I hope that all of you will return and audition for future Hard Road productions. I am really looking forward to this production (it’s such a funny show!). Thanks again for auditioning.

Sincerely,
Tom Varner, Drinking Habits director
***********************************
Drinking Habits Cast List:
Sister Philamena  – Linda Collman
Sister Augusta – Breanna Noe
Mother Superior – Mary Knebel
Paul – Evan Fifer
Sally – Gentry Nessel
Sister Mary Catherine – Mary McCoy
George – David Harnetiaux
Father Chenille – Rob Bowman

If you choose to not accept the role in which you were cast, please contact the director (Tom Varner) immediately. If the director is not personally notified, it is assumed you have accepted the role in which you were cast. The read-through/initial rehearsal for the show will on Monday, November 24th at the Highland Elementary Auditorium, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL at 7:00 p.m. Please brink a pencil (you will need a pencil at all rehearsals). A rehearsal schedule for the production will be passed out at that time. If you have any other questions, contact Tom.

Auditions for the Hilarious Comedy DRINKING HABITS

  By Tom Varner | November 3, 2014 - 10:23 am | ,
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Hard Road Theatre announces auditions for their upcoming winter production, DRINKING HABITS, directed by Tom Varner. DRINKING HABITS is a “divinely” inspired comedy full of wild accusations, mistaken identities, and sweet romances. Two nuns at the Sisters of the Perpetual Sewing have been secretly making wine to keep the convent’s doors open, but reporters Paul and Sally (also former fiancées) are hot on their trail. They go undercover as a nun and a priest, but the their presence, combined with the addition of a new nun, spurs paranoia throughout the convent that spies sent from Rome have arrived to shut them down. Secrets and wine are inevitably spilled as everyone tries to preserve the convent and reconnect with lost loves. DRINKING HABITS has a cast consisting of five women and three men. Auditions will be held on Monday, November 17th and Tuesday, November 18th at 7:00 p.m. at the Weinheimer Community Center, 1100 Main St., Highland, IL. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Anyone who prepares a monologue ahead of time will be allowed to perform it. Those auditioning should be aware of any conflicts they have from Nov. 19, 2014 – Feb. 1, 2015. Performances of the play will be Jan. 23-25, 30-31, 2015. If you have any questions about the show or would like to audition but are unable to do so during the audition dates, please contact the director, Tom Varner at 618-780-4444.

Audition Flyer 1-page-001